We should just go back to using horses and slaves. Can't beat that economy. Hybrids are more complex than what they're worth. It's like the VW diesel cars. Even the newer .0 140hp engine STILL USES A TIMING BELT. Fuel savings goes out the door when you're told at 60K that you need to replace the timing belt for $1K. I believe it's an interference engine to boot...timing belt snaps - valves and pistons collide. Worth it? No.
Chev's Volt makes the most sense to date, as the gas engine is used only to charge the batteries. Depending on the motors being used, they too will need maintenance at some point. Today's cars are made to lease and throw away. Even the Volt is overpriced for what it is. I'd rather pay $150 a month in fuel than $70 a month in hydro and $10 in fuel to run a Volt. $35K in Canada for a Prius. No thanks. I can get a $16K economy car and it would take 9-10 years before it would cost me $19K in fuel. At least the hybrid option is there to make some feel better, even if they don't understand the manufacturing process as a whole.
If the government wanted to, they could push for hydrogen and more CNG fuel stations. There are a couple new CNG vehicles produced each year. The problem is having one CNG fuel station per 1000 square miles. Besides, internal combustion engines are only 20-30% efficient. Most of the energy is lost through heat. Of course, too much heat can do damage.
The issue with Europeans pushing for better emissions, is because they're taxed on tailpipe emissions and in some countries such as Russia, they're also taxed on engine size. North America is a long way from doing things such as this. Toll roads will increase to lower the traffic volume and overall EPA mileage will gradually increase causing manufacturers to build more efficient vehicles. HD trucks will soon require EPA testing.
It's not only inefficient power such as coal generators that tree huggers don't realize, but the industrial cost and emissions required to produce and build the batteries and electrical components.
True hybrid vehicles will only be good once all the major powers decide to write similar rules for emissions as most manufacturers sell vehicles globally, to better reduce overall manufacturing costs and complexity. It will not happen in our lifetime, but the sooner its realized the sooner states can stop spending billions on passenger train and public transit infrastructure that no one cares to ride.
Chev's Volt makes the most sense to date, as the gas engine is used only to charge the batteries. Depending on the motors being used, they too will need maintenance at some point. Today's cars are made to lease and throw away. Even the Volt is overpriced for what it is. I'd rather pay $150 a month in fuel than $70 a month in hydro and $10 in fuel to run a Volt. $35K in Canada for a Prius. No thanks. I can get a $16K economy car and it would take 9-10 years before it would cost me $19K in fuel. At least the hybrid option is there to make some feel better, even if they don't understand the manufacturing process as a whole.
If the government wanted to, they could push for hydrogen and more CNG fuel stations. There are a couple new CNG vehicles produced each year. The problem is having one CNG fuel station per 1000 square miles. Besides, internal combustion engines are only 20-30% efficient. Most of the energy is lost through heat. Of course, too much heat can do damage.
The issue with Europeans pushing for better emissions, is because they're taxed on tailpipe emissions and in some countries such as Russia, they're also taxed on engine size. North America is a long way from doing things such as this. Toll roads will increase to lower the traffic volume and overall EPA mileage will gradually increase causing manufacturers to build more efficient vehicles. HD trucks will soon require EPA testing.
It's not only inefficient power such as coal generators that tree huggers don't realize, but the industrial cost and emissions required to produce and build the batteries and electrical components.
True hybrid vehicles will only be good once all the major powers decide to write similar rules for emissions as most manufacturers sell vehicles globally, to better reduce overall manufacturing costs and complexity. It will not happen in our lifetime, but the sooner its realized the sooner states can stop spending billions on passenger train and public transit infrastructure that no one cares to ride.
